THE MONTHLY GLEANER | SEPTEMBER 12 - OCTOBER 12, 2024 | www.jamaica-gleaner.com | NEWS 6 NEW YORK: “MANY CHRONIC health conditions are preventable with proper nutrition, adherence to periodic screenings and taking of medication as advised – leading to longer, healthier lives free of common illnesses.” This is the view of Jamaica-born certified Adult Health Nurse Practitioner Dr Karlene Lawrence, whose experience in preventive medicine at various health centres in New York City and Long Island spans over two decades. “Regular screenings for conditions such as diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol as well as breast, prostate and colon cancers can lead to early diagnosis, less complicated treatment options, lower healthcare costs and more successful outcomes if any of these illnesses are diagnosed,”she says. “This is why preventive healthcare and wellness are my passions. Early in my career, I realised that the adage ‘prevention is better than cure’ is very accurate and applicable. Preventive healthcare thus became the focus of my practice many years ago and remains so until today.” Lack of access to affordable healthcare, health insurance company payment constraints, stigmas towards various health conditions and biases against older patients and patients with mental health issues are also problematic at times, says Dr Lawrence. “Additionally, the sad reality is that a majority of the world’s population has challenges understanding healthcare discussions or instructions they are given due to low or no literacy. This hinders achievement of desired preventive healthcare goals. And unfortunately, the current United States health system can be complicated and difficult to navigate. This is a longstanding and complex issue that requires an immediate solution to ensure that ‘best treatment’ is always the goal for ALL patients.” CHANGED FOCUS Dr Lawrence was born in StThomas and attended Holy Childhood Preparatory and High Schools in Kingston, before immigrating to the USA at 17 years old. She earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Molloy College in Rockville Centre with the goal of becoming a nurse-midwife, and after obtaining a Midwifery and Women’s Health Graduate degree from New York University, she began practising in outpatient settings in Queens and Brooklyn. It was at this juncture that her focus changed. “I realised that the care of my female patients was incomplete, because I was unable to care for their male partners also. That prompted me to pursue an Adult Nurse Practitioner Postgraduate Certificate. Over time, it became apparent that my true passion was educating patients about illness prevention and achieving wellness, rather than ‘problem focused’ appointments and treating an illness after it was already diagnosed.” Dr Lawrence returned to school in 2017 to pursue and ultimately receive a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree from SUNY Stony Brook University in 2019. She married educator, musician and cultural historian LeRoy Graham Jr, who she says “stepped up in a major way” to assist with raising their three children as she pursued her academic and professional goals. Among the many honours she has received are: The Louis and Rachel Rudin Foundation Scholarship, the New York State Advanced Nursing Education Traineeship Scholarship and the New York State Primary Care Service Corps Scholarship. She is also a member of the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing. EFFECTIVE HEALTHCARE SOLUTIONS Dr Lawrence is currently the Doctor of Nursing Practice/Nurse Practitioner on a multimillion-dollar Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Programme (GWEP) grant, from the Federal Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). The goal of the programme is to transform the healthcare workforce and community in Brooklyn by establishing a new wellness clinic for adults 65 years and older. The clinic will also serve as a training facility for students from all schools and colleges at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University. “My goal as a health and wellness educator-presenter is to increase awareness, comprehension and adherence to recommended preventive health screening guidelines, improve health literacy and eliminate occurrences of health disparities. I am also passionate about empowering individuals through education to prevent diseases, promote health and maintain wellness as they age in their own residences.” She remains cognisant of the fact that she cannot do it alone. “At the end of the day we still have to resolve the challenges in our healthcare system and that will not be done overnight. However, it is vital that we foster the necessary cooperation between all healthcare stakeholders to arrive at more effective healthcare solutions. The lives of our fellow citizens literally depend on it.” ‘Preventive healthcare is my passion’ Dr Karlene Lawrence (right) and husband LeRoy Graham. CONTRIBUTED - US-based adult care practitioner Dr Karlene Lawrence commits to patient education focus NEW YORK, NY: The Montego Bay High School Alumnae Association of New York is celebrating 10 years (2014-2024) of commitment to supporting its alma mater - Montego Bay High School - and its stakeholders since 2014. Their mission statement ~ “Empowering our sisters, the future leaders”- encompasses the scope of their commitment to the present cohorts. A statement from the officers’ group noted that the past 10 years has seen the association working assiduously to provide assistance to ensure that Montego Bay High School continues to produce‘Women of Excellence’. Successful fundraising endeavours has resulted in the administration of educational awards to current students, allocation of scholarships to immediate past students accepted into tertiary institutions; technology enhancements to the school’s current infrastructure; provision of laptop computers for students’use; support of extracurricular programmes, including sports; sponsorship of physical education events; and participation in the school’s mentorship programme. “We are proud of our achievements thus far and thankful for the support of our members, patrons, and donors over these past 10 years,” the statement noted. The anniversary event on Saturday, September 28, billed as an Evening of Vintage Elegance, is slated for the Castle Royale Banquet Hall, 92 Waverly Street in Yonkers, NY, starting at 7”00 p.m. Entertainment will be provided by ‘Ticka Muzik’ Disco, owned and operated by Extol ‘Ticka’ Earle of Montego Bay and the sound system of choice for the ‘party hearty’ crowd of the mid-1970s through the decade of the ‘90s. For tickets and information, interested patrons may contact mbhsaany@gmail.com or call 914.505.6183. MoBay High alumnae marks 10th anniversary with ‘Evening of Vintage Elegance’ Merlene Mullings, president, MBHSAANY. CONTRIBUTED ADVERTORIAL
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